Digital Transformation in Rural Areas - From Connectivity to Value Change

Practice shows that when digital transformation brings clear benefits, people are willing to accept, learn and gradually change their thinking.

In the fields of Vinh Ba village (Hoa Thinh commune), the sound of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) cutting through the wind, spraying pesticides evenly over each field. After only a few hours of flying, the UAVs have completed spraying pesticides for 20 hectares of rice of many households, helping farmers no longer have to wade through the mud as hard as before. This technology not only reduces production costs but also increases rice productivity from 65 to 79 quintals/ha.

Right from the first days of building smart villages, Vinh Ba (Hoa Thinh commune), An Nien (Tuy Hoa ward), Dong Loc (Phu Hoa 1 commune), Hanh Lam (Phu Hoa 2 commune), My Thanh Trung (Tay Hoa commune) villages have determined the goal of not only internet coverage but also digitizing essential services, linking technology with agriculture , healthcare, education... so that people can see the direct benefits.

Bank staff instruct ethnic minority business households in Cu Pong commune to use banking applications on their phones.

In Cu Pong commune, where 56% of the population are ethnic minorities, digital technology is increasingly widely applied. In the field of management, the whole commune has mobilized people to install 90 security cameras along roads and residential areas... to effectively support the police force to cover the area and maintain security and order from the grassroots level. Not only serving management work, digital transformation also opens up new business opportunities.

In Ea Druich village, Ms. H'Abi Nie, the owner of a popular restaurant, has changed the way she sells her products by applying technology. On average, Ms. H'Abi's restaurant serves 600 meals a day. To introduce her dishes and attract customers, she often livestreams and posts on social networking groups. Promoting on digital platforms helps Ms. H'Abi save costs and expand the market without having to rent a large space.

Ba Na people in Xuan Lanh commune share how to exploit digital applications on smartphones.

According to Mr. Nguyen The Anh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cu Pong commune, the transformation does not stop at putting machines or software into use, but more importantly, it is the change in thinking from leaders to people in applying technology.

The spirit of popularizing technology to every family and every garden is being strongly implemented by Krong Buk commune, becoming a breakthrough solution to promote socio -economic development. With 95% of adults using smartphones and more than 70% of households having fiber optic lines, digital technology has penetrated deeply into all production and business activities.

During that process, local authorities always stand side by side, supporting people to take advantage of technology to improve economic efficiency. At the same time, connecting businesses and cooperatives helps farmers easily access capital, markets and technical support services. Thanks to that, many gardeners have installed surveillance cameras, automatic sprinkler irrigation systems; 18 durian growing area codes for export to China with more than 326 hectares are strictly managed by digital technology throughout the entire care and harvesting process.

People in Vinh Ba village (Hoa Thinh commune) spray pesticides on the fields using UAV.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Minh, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Krong Buk Commune, shared: “Digital transformation is not only an inevitable trend, but also a driving force to help the commune shorten the development gap between rural and urban areas. When people, businesses and the government work together, all information is connected quickly and transparently, which will expand the consumption market and increase the value of local agricultural products.”

To make technology truly enter life, Vinh Ba village (Hoa Thinh commune) established a community digital technology team, in which youth union members play a core role. They directly go to each house to guide how to use smartphones, install applications, exploit digital utilities... Mr. Le Van Hoa, Head of Vinh Ba village said: "We do not impose digital transformation at the grassroots level. When people find it convenient, they will want to use it themselves. The cadres only have the task of paving the way, while the people are the ones who maintain and spread it."

To date, nearly 78% of the working-age population in Vinh Ba have electronic payment accounts; more than 86% know how to use online public services and essential digital utilities... The village has installed free wifi at the cultural house, mobilized 4 service businesses and 21 households to open public wifi so that anyone can access it when needed.

Mr. Le Chi Hoai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoa Thinh Commune, commented: The grassroots government plays a key role in digital transformation through infrastructure construction, skills training and organizing technology application models. The coordination between village chiefs, unions and digital technology teams creates a support network, helping young people to the elderly participate easily. The commune aims for all villages to meet smart village standards with 3 pillars: digital infrastructure, digital services and technology application in agricultural production.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dak Lak, the province has 5 villages that meet the smart village standards and this model will be replicated. The goal is to form smart village clusters to share infrastructure, link production - consumption and improve the quality of public services at the commune level.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/tin-noi-bat/202508/chuyen-doi-so-o-nong-thon-tu-ket-noi-den-thay-doi-gia-tri-7e41318/